"I think your sister is stronger than that," he said, and he believed it. There were strength in her, he'd sensed it. "But if you still feel you can't, then don't. I'm here too." And she was talking, which must mean that he had some of her trust at least.

"Listen to me." He leaned forward a little bit. "What happened to you was a terrible thing." They had endured similar but different, the two of them, and he couldn't even imagine just waiting like that, waiting for it to end. "You were powerless, that's true. But you are not now. You need for find a way to see that."